THE JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE

Volume 10, Number 5, 2004, pp. 767–776

© Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

The Biologic Effects of Grounding the Human Body During

Sleep as Measured by Cortisol Levels and Subjective Reporting
of Sleep, Pain, and Stress

MAURICE GHALY, M.D.,1 and DALE TEPLITZ, M.A.2

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Diurnal cortisol secretion levels were measured and circadian cortisol profiles were evaluated
in a pilot study conducted to test the hypothesis that grounding the human body to earth* during sleep will re-
sult in quantifiable changes in cortisol. It was also hypothesized that grounding the human body would result
in changes in sleep, pain, and stress (anxiety, depression, irritability), as measured by subjective reporting.
Subjects and Interventions: Twelve (12) subjects with complaints of sleep dysfunction, pain, and stress were
grounded to earth during sleep for 8 weeks in their own beds using a conductive mattress pad. Saliva tests were
administered to establish pregrounding baseline cortisol levels. Levels were obtained at 4-hour intervals for a
24-hour period to determine the circadian cortisol profile. Cortisol testing was repeated at week 6. Subjective
symptoms of sleep dysfunction, pain, and stress were reported daily throughout the 8-week test period.
Results: Measurable improvements in diurnal cortisol profiles were observed, with cortisol levels signifi-
cantly reduced during night-time sleep. Subjects’ 24-hour circadian cortisol profiles showed a trend toward nor-
malization. Subjectively reported symptoms, including sleep dysfunction, pain, and stress, were reduced or elim-
inated in nearly all subjects.
Conclusions: Results indicate that grounding the human body to earth (“earthing”) during sleep reduces
night-time levels of cortisol and resynchronizes cortisol hormone secretion more in alignment with the natural
24-hour circadian rhythm profile. Changes were most apparent in females. Furthermore, subjective reporting
indicates that grounding the human body to earth during sleep improves sleep and reduces pain and stress.

INTRODUCTION and physical stress, inflammation, and sleep dysfunction in

humans. Chronic elevation of cortisol can result in disrup-

T he objective of this pilot study was to examine the bi-

ologic effects of grounding the human body to earth (see
Appendix A) during sleep, as measured by cortisol levels
and circadian cortisol secretion profiles and subjective re-
porting of sleep dysfunction, pain, and stress. The hypoth-
esis tested was that diurnal secretion levels of the stress hor-
mone cortisol will change as a result of grounding the human
body to earth during sleep. It was also hypothesized that
grounding the human body would result in changes in sleep,
pain, and stress (anxiety, depression, irritability), as mea-
sured by subjective reporting.
Cortisol is a hormone that is associated with psychologic
tion of circadian rhythms, which, in turn, is a contributor to
a multitude of adverse health conditions, including sleep dis-
orders, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, stroke, de-
creased bone density, decreased immune response, mood
disturbances, autoimmune disease, and abnormal glucose
levels (Alschuler, 2001). Neurologic effects of chronic ele-
vated cortisol secretion include chronic activation of the
sympathetic nervous system (flight-or-fight response) lead-
ing to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The hypo-
thalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic
nervous system have been utilized as objective markers of
stress reactions (Bjorntorp, 2001).

1Carlsbad,
CA.
2Encinitas,
CA.
*See Appendix A.

767
768 GHALY AND TEPLITZ

Cortisol is produced in the adrenal cortex and is an arousal nomic nervous system balance, and disruption of normal
hormone. In an unstressed state, the human body produces sleep spectral-power density ranges (see Appendix B).
a predictable day–night pattern of cortisol secretion. Nor- Reliable reductions in subjective and physiologic indices
mal diurnal variation in cortisol secretion produces higher of stress have shown that relaxation training produces sig-
cortisol levels in the daytime (for activity) and lower levels nificantly lower levels of postintervention heart rate, state
at night (for rest). Disregulation of normal circadian rhythms anxiety, perceived stress, and salivary cortisol levels than
is clearly associated with abnormal cortisol secretion pro- control subjects as well as increased self-reported levels of
files. Chronically elevated cortisol is a biomarker for stress relaxation (Pawlow & Jones, 2002).
and is associated with many chronic diseases. Disregulation of circadian cortisol profiles is associated
The body reacts to an initial stressor by secreting both in- with pain perception (Korszun et al., 2002). Aging in humans
flammatory and anti-inflammatory hormones. Prolonged ex- is accompanied by an increase in adrenal glucocorticoid se-
posure to stressors can result in persistent inflammation, cretion. Cortisol excess may contribute to impacts of aging
which, in turn, leads to prolonged secretion of anti-inflam- as expressed by cognitive impairment and hippocampal neu-
matory hormones. Glucorticoids, including adrenocorti- ronal loss (Yen and Laughin, 1998). Major depressive illness
cotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisone, and cortisol, exert is associated with disturbances of pituitary–adrenal function
anti-inflammatory effects primarily by counteracting the for- with chronic high cortisol levels and disruption of normal
mation and release of proinflammatory messenger chemi- circadian cortisol profiles (Linkowski et al., 1985). Depres-
cals including catecholamines, prostaglandins, cytokines, ni- sion, suicide and headache have been linked to exposure to
tric oxide, platelet-activating factor (PAF), and heat-shock electromagnetic fields (Baris et al., 1996; Baris and Arm-
proteins (Alschuler, 2001; Seyle, 1956). This adaptive re- strong, 1990; Beale et al., 1997; Brown et al., 1987; Dow-
sponse to stress is beneficial in the short term but can lead son et al., 1988; Kay, 1994; McIntyre et al., 1989; McMa-
to serious problems, such as chronic disease and tissue dam- han et al., 1994; Perry et al., 1981; Perry et al., 1989; Poole
age if the process becomes chronic. The endocrine, gas- et al., 1993; Reichmanis et al., 1979; Savitz et al., 1994;
trointestinal, immune, and neurologic systems are most Semm et al., 1980; Van Wijngaarden et al., 2000; Verkasalo
subject to chronic stress, and chronically elevated cortisol et al., 1997; Welker et al., 1983; Wilson, 1998). Chronic ex-
secretion is a measurable biomarker. posure to electromagnetic fields has also been linked to neu-
Cortisol-releasing mechanisms may be involved in the reg- rologic changes including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cog-
ulation of sleep (Follenius et al., 1992). Twenty-four (24) hour nitive impairment and spatial disorientation (Johansen and
hypersecretion of cortisol has been linked to chronic insom- Olsen, 1998; Lai, 1996; Lai and Carino, 1998, 1999; Lai
nia (Vgontzas et al., 2002). Evening and nocturnal cortisol et al., 1998).
levels were significantly increased in patients with severe
chronic primary insomnia (Rodenbeck et al., 2002). Power- MATERIALS and METHODS
frequency 50–60 Hz extra-low frequency electromagnetic
fields and pulsed radiofrequency fields are reported to affect Subjects
sleep. Sleep disruption has been reported in human popula-
tions with night-time exposure to elevated 50–60 Hz electro- Twelve (12) subjects were selected from a group of in-
magnetic fields (Akerstedt et al., 1999; Li et al., 2002). Weak, dividuals responding to a request for research study partic-
pulsed radiofrequency radiation at 20
W/cm2 has been re-
ported to alter the HPA axis with a slight elevation in cor- TABLE 1. BODY VOLTAGE FOR EACH SUBJECT
tisol serum level (Mann et al., 1998b). Significantly sup-
Electric field induced voltage
pressed sleep electroencephalographic (EEG) and disruption measured on subjects’ bodies
of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep are reported after ex- while lying in their own beds
posure to pulsed radiofrequency (Borbely et al., 1999; Hu-
ber et al., 2000; Mann and Roschke, 1996; Mann et al., Subject Before grounding After grounding
1998). Pulsed radiofrequency exposure is reported to alter
1 3.940 V 0.003 V
cerebral blood flow, and sleep and waking EEGs (Huber et 2 1.470 V 0.001 V
al., 2002). Mann et al. (1998) reported significant sleep dif- 3 2.700 V 0.004 V
ferences after exposure to weak pulsed radiofrequency ra- 4 1.200 V 0.002 V
diation, with a predominance of the parasympathetic over 5 2.700 V 0.005 V
6 1.670 V 0.005 V
sympathetic tone in the autonomic nervous system. To-
7 5.950 V 0.008 V
gether, these studies indicated that weak exposures to elec- 8 3.940 V 0.008 V
tromagnetic fields can disrupt normal sleep patterns as mea- 9 3.750 V 0.010 V
sured by various parameters, including direct measurement 10 2.300 V 0.009 V
of hormones, sleep quality, duration of sleep, sleep EEG, 11 5.980 V 0.020 V
12 3.640 V 0.006 V
REM sleep patterns, parasympathetic/sympathetic auto-
EFFECTS OF GROUNDING 769

TABLE 2. CIRCADIAN CORTISOL LEVELS BEFORE AND AFTER SLEEPING GROUNDED TO EARTH

8 PM Midnight 4 AM 8 AM Noon 4 PM

Subject 1 Female 24
Before grounding 11.3 6.8 23.9 35.9 8.7 12.5
After grounding 13.0 3.3 6.9 37.5 8.2 7.5
Change 15.%
51.%
71.% 4.%
6.%
40.%
Subject 2 Female 53
Before grounding 7.6 14.3 3.3 58.4 18.9 23.8
After grounding 4.1 3.9 11.4 38.7 12.4 15.5
Change
46.%
73.% 245.%
34.%
34.%
35.%
Subject 3 Female 50
Before grounding 5.5 3.3 3.7 41.1 10.4 12.5
After grounding 4.5 8.3 10.9 48.6 22.2 8.9
Change
18.% 152.% 195.% 18.% 113.%
29.%
Subject 4 Female 42
Before grounding 2.5 6.0 19.3 27.6 11.2 9.3
After grounding 2.6 2.4 5.7 33.8 11.1 8.3
Change 4.%
60.%
70.% 22.%
1.%
11.%
Subject 5 Female 51
Before grounding 4.2 4.2 22.2 72.6 4.4 3.6
After grounding 5.6 2.6 3.6 42.0 7.7 5.7
Change 33.%
38.%
84.%
42.% 75.% 58.%
Subject 6 Female 52
Before grounding 6.0 8.6 12.4 23.5 5.2 12.7
After grounding 4.5 3.8 7.1 29.2 6.3 7.5
Change
25.%
56.%
43.% 24.% 21.%
41.%
Subject 7 Female 44
Before grounding 8.6 14.8 3.2 25.4 6.1 6.1
After grounding 8.4 7.7 10.3 44.7 9.3 7.9
Change
2.%
48.% 222.% 76.% 52.% 30.%
Subject 8 Female 31
Before grounding 2.1 5.2 11.6 24.3 9.5 7.1
After grounding 2.8 2.6 12.8 39.3 17.1 8.1
Change 33.%
50.% 10.% 62.% 80.% 14.%
Subject 9 Male 72
Before grounding 11.1 3.7 5.0 27.5 19.7 15.9
After grounding 4.2 10.8 15.9 27.8 17.6 8.0
Change
62.% 192.% 218.% 1.% 11.%
50.%
Subject 10 Male 37
Before grounding 5.0 3.1 23.2 28.7 12.7 10.9
After grounding 6.1 2.8 23.9 29.8 13.7 8.6
Change 22.%
10.% 3.% 4.% 8.%
21.%
Subject 11 Male 50
Before grounding 2.4 2.8 3.9 27.9 30.9 7.9
After grounding 2.8 2.9 5.6 33.4 14.4 8.6
Change 17.% 4.% 44.% 20.%
53.% 9.%
Subject 12 Male 39
Before grounding 4.6 3.2 21.9 20.7 11.0 7.2
After grounding 4.2 3.2 22.8 24.3 10.3 7.3
Change
9.% 0.% 4.% 17.%
6.% 1.%

ipants with sleep disorders, pain, and stress. The 8 female
and 4 male subjects ranged in age from 24 to 72, with the
average age being 45. Subjects were interviewed via tele-
phone to confirm the presence of chronic sleep, stress, and
pain problems. Prospective subjects were not accepted as
participants if they were using corticosteroids, antidepres-
sants, narcotics, or oral sleep aids. Informed consent and
completed health questionnaire forms were obtained from
all selected subjects. Subject participation was supervised
by a research coordinator who contacted subjects weekly,
was available for questions, and confirmed that subjective
data was being accurately recorded by subjects.
Grounding to earth during sleep
Subjects were grounded to earth (see Appendix A) dur-
ing sleep by placing a conductive mattress pad, provided by
Earth Tether International Corporation (model #2455-8;
770
FIG. 1. Normal circadian cortisol secretion profile. Sabre Sci-
ences Laboratory, 2002.
Earth Tether International Corporation, West Covina, CA),
under their fitted sheets. Each mattress pad (containing con-
ductive carbon fibers and having a dissipative surface re-
sistance of 1
105 ohms) was attached to a ground cord
that was connected at the other end to a 12 ground rod. The
ground cord was run outside, via each subject’s bedroom
window, and the attached ground rod was driven into the
earth. The ground cord contained an inline 10 mA ground
fault-protection fuse.
Electric field–induced voltage (from lamps, clocks, wiring
in walls, etc.) created on the subjects’ bodies, in their re-
spective beds, was measured before and after grounding with
the use of a MASTECH (model MS8216; MASTECH,
Kowloon, Hong Kong) Digital Multi Meter (DMM). The
DMM was grounded directly to earth and each subject’s 60-
Hz electric field induced body voltage was measured by skin
contact with the ungrounded terminal of the DMM, while the
subject was in bed.
The subjects’ average pregrounding 60-Hz electric field
induced body voltage was measured at 3.27 V (3.27 volts
or 3270 millivolts) and dropped to an average of 0.007 V
(7 millivolts) in bed while lying on the grounded mattress
pads (Table 1). This drop in voltage demonstrates that the
grounding effect of the conductive mattress pads signifi-
cantly reduced electric field–induced voltage created on sub-
jects’ bodies.
Laboratory cortisol hormone testing
In order to obtain a baseline measurement of the hormone
cortisol, each subject, prior to being grounded, completed a
self-administered 24-hour (circadian rhythm) collection of
saliva samples. At each collection time, subjects chewed a
Dacron salvette for 2 minutes, then placed it in the appro-
priate time-labeled sampling tube, and stored it in the re-
frigerator. Self-administered sample collections began at 8
AM and were repeated every 4 hours. After 6 weeks of be-
ing grounded, subjects repeated this 24-hour saliva test. The
samples were processed by Sabre Sciences Laboratory of
San Diego, CA, using a standard radioimmunoassay. Re-
GHALY AND TEPLITZ
sults of saliva tests (cortisol levels) for each subject for each
test interval are shown in Table 2.
Subjective testing
Each subject completed a Daily Sleep Survey (a modified
National Sleep Foundation Diary) for a 1-week duration to
establish a pregrounding sleep baseline. To establish pre-
grounding pain and stress (anxiety, irritability, depression)
baselines, subjects completed a Weekly Pain Survey and
a General Health Survey (Modified SF-12 Survey Form),
which included questions regarding emotional health. Dur-
ing the 8-week grounding phase of the study, subjects con-
tinued to complete Daily Sleep Surveys and Weekly Pain
Surveys. At the end of the 8-week recording period, subjects
again completed the General Health Survey and also com-
pleted an End of Study Questionnaire to report their overall
experience with sleeping grounded and the most significant
changes they noticed.
RESULTS
Cortisol hormone test results
Results of laboratory analysis of saliva samples of corti-
sol collected prior to and after 6 weeks of sleeping grounded
to earth are shown in Table 2. Figure 1 graphically repre-
sents the normal 24-hour circadian cortisol pattern. See Fig-
ure 2 for circadian cortisol profiles for individual subjects,
pre- and postgrounding.
At the end of the 6 weeks, there were two cortisol sam-
ple periods, 12 midnight and 8 AM (of the six sample time
periods from 8 PM until 4 PM), when the most significant
shifts in cortisol occurred. Both of these shifts occurred most
noticeably in females. At midnight, cortisol levels lowered
in 8 of the 12 subjects (more synchronous with the normal
circadian profile) and 7 of these subjects were female (there
were a total of 8 female subjects in the study). The average
drop in night-time cortisol levels for these 7 female subjects
at midnight was 53.7%. At 8 AM, cortisol levels rose in 10
of the 12 subjects (more synchronous with the normal cir-
cadian profile); the average increase was highest amongst
females. Of the 8 female subjects in the study, 6 had higher
cortisol levels at 8 AM and these levels rose an average of
34.3%. The cortisol levels of the other 2 female subjects (#2
and #5), whose pregrounding cortisol levels (at 8 AM) were
abnormally high in relation to the group, dropped to more
normal levels, averaging 38% lower (Table 2).
Subjective sleep, pain, and stress results
At the end of the 8-week test period, 11 of 12 subjects
reported that it took less time to fall asleep while grounded
to earth. All 12 subjects reported waking fewer times dur-
ing the night. The average number of times that subjects re-
EFFECTS OF GROUNDING
FIG. 2. Individual circadian cortisol secretion profiles (Subjects 1–12).
ported waking up during the night, pregrounding, was 2.5
times per night (group average), and this average dropped
to 1.4 times per night or a 44% reduction.
Nine (9) of the 12 subjects reported improvement in fa-
tigue (more refreshed/less fatigued), 2 reported no change,
and 1 reported feeling worse.
Ten (10) of 12 subjects reported decreased pain with
sleep, 1 reported no change, and 1 reported worsening of
pain.
Of the 11 subjects who reported, pregrounding, that pain
interfered with general activities, 7 reported improvement
and 4 reported no change after sleeping grounded to earth.
771
Nine (9) of 12 subjects reported improvement in daytime
energy levels and 3 subjects reported no change.
Nine (9) of 12 subjects reported reduction in emotional
stress level. They were less bothered by problems such as
anxiety, depression and irritability. Two (2) subjects re-
ported no change and 1 reported worse stress levels.
End of Study Questionnaire reports
Subjects were asked to provide written narrative comments
regarding conditions that were mentioned in the initial screen-
ing interview but were not formally measured in the subjec-
772
tive measurement tools. Of the 7 subjects who reported gas-
trointestinal (GI) disorders prior to sleeping grounded, 6 re-
ported improvement. Of 6 female subjects who reported prob-
lems related to premenstrual syndrome and/or hot flashes
prior to being grounded, 5 subjects reported a decrease in
symptoms. All 3 subjects who reported temporal–mandibu-
lar joint (TMJ) pain prior to being grounded reported a de-
crease in symptoms after sleeping grounded to earth.
Many subjects reported that improvements in these condi-
tions—as well as improvements in sleep, pain, and stress—
often occurred rapidly within the first few days of ground-
ing rather than gradually over the 8-week test period.
DISCUSSION
Cortisol secretion profiles
Results indicate that the majority of subjects tested who
had high- to out-of-range night-time secretion levels experi-
enced improvements by sleeping grounded to earth as mea-
sured by night-time cortisol reductions and restoration of nor-
mal day–night cortisol secretion profiles (Figure 2). All but
2 subjects had cortisol secretion profiles more synchronous
with the normal 24-hour circadian pattern as a result of sleep-
ing grounded (Figure 2). (See Figure 1 for normal circadian
pattern, highest at 8 AM and lowest at midnight.) One (1) of
the 2 subjects had no change because his cortiol secretion was
the same pre- and postgrounding, already in alignment with
the normal circadian pattern. The postgrounding composite
(Figure 3) indicated that cortisol profiles synchronized intra-
group; the group’s profile, as a whole, trended more in align-
ment with the normal circadian pattern of cortisol secretion.
The study sample size (8 females and 4 males) is not large
enough to make gender-related conclusions. However, it
should be noted that improvements in circadian cortisol se-
cretion profiles were much more apparent for females than
for males.
Sleep, pain, and stress
Subjectively reported improvements in sleep were sig-
nificant. It is possible that these improvements (11 of 12
FIG. 3. Composite cortisol circadian levels before and after grounding to earth during sleep.
GHALY AND TEPLITZ
subjects reported that they fell asleep more quickly and all
12 reported waking fewer times at night) are the result of a
reduction in stress as a result of being grounded to earth;
stress reduction being indicated by the restoration of more
normal circadian cortisol profiles. Grounding the body to
earth at night during sleep also appears to affect morning
fatigue levels, daytime energy, and night-time pain levels.
The reports of feeling less fatigue and feeling more re-
freshed upon waking in the morning (9 of 12 subjects) were
probably associated with improved sleep and/or reduction
of night-time pain. Reports of increased daytime energy may
have been related to the finding that cortisol levels rose at
8 AM in 10 of 12 subjects. Eight AM is the time when cir-
cadian cortisol levels should be highest (depressed daytime
levels are often associated with low energy).
Ten (10) of 12 subjects reported reductions in pain, par-
ticularly night-time pain, including musculoskeletal pain, GI
problems, headaches, menstrual cramps and TMJ symptoms.
This reported pain reduction may have been related to im-
proved sleep or to better regulation of cortisol levels. There
is a recognized relationship between imbalances in cortisol
and inflammatory pain (Alschuler, 2001; Korszun et al.,
2002; Seyle, 1956).
Nine (9) of the 12 subjects reported feeling less emotional
stress such as anxiety, depression, and irritability. Normal-
ized diurnal cortisol secretion after sleeping grounded to
earth allows for better night-time rest and improved daytime
energy levels, which, in turn, may account for reported im-
provements in mood disturbances with reduction in anxiety,
depression, and irritability.
In many cases, subjects reported that their perceived im-
provements in sleep, pain, and psychologic stress (as well
as reported improvements from various health complaints)
often occurred rapidly, sometimes within the first few nights
of sleeping grounded to earth. Because chronically elevated
night-time cortisol and disregulation of the circadian profile
for cortisol is a biomarker for stress and is associated with
poor sleep, pain, psychologic stress, and many chronic dis-
eases, the normalization in night-time secretion of cortisol
(10 of 12 subjects) and resynchronization with the normal
circadian rhythm, indicates that grounding the human body
to earth during sleep reduces stress.
EFFECTS OF GROUNDING
CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that grounding the human body to earth
during sleep reduces night-time levels of cortisol and re-
synchronizes hormone cortisol secretion more in alignment
with the natural 24-hour circadian rhythm profile. Changes
were most apparent in females. Furthermore, subjective re-
porting indicates that grounding the human body to earth
during sleep improves sleep and reduces pain and stress.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank Earth Tether International Corporation, West
Covina, CA, for technical assistance and donation of the
conductive mattress pads used in the study.
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Address reprint requests to:
Dale Teplitz, M.A.
P.O. Box 231816
Encinitas, CA 92023
E-mail: teplitz@adelphia.net
EFFECTS OF GROUNDING 775

Appendix A
Grounding (Earthing)
Electrically grounding the human body refers to maintaining the body at the natural electrical potential (voltage) of the
earth. The voltage of the earth is a measure of the free electrons that reside on the earth’s surface (Gish, 1936).
Grounding the human body by close coupling it with a ground plane in the form of a conductive mattress pad, placed
under a bed sheet and connected directly to the earth, significantly reduces the 60 Hz electric field–induced body voltage
by offsetting the attraction of a 60 Hz electric field from the body (which is small) to the earth (which is large). This cre-
ates a stabilizing effect on the electrons of the body that were previously disturbed by the attraction of the 60 Hz electric
field to the body.

60 HZ ELECTRIC FIELD–INDUCED BODY VOLTAGE

An electric field is created by the excitation of the space surrounding an electrified object. All energized electrical wires
and electrical devices create an electric field. In space, an electric field travels in an isotropic pattern away from its source
at the speed of light. However, when a conductive object such as a human body, which is composed primarily of miner-
alized water, is in the proximity of an electric field, it becomes an antenna and the lines of force of the electric field bend
toward the body and become denser between the body and the source of the electric field. The effect of an electric field
on the body is that it electrifies it (creates voltage in the body) by exciting electrons of the body. This process is called
“electrical induction,” which is different from “electrical conduction,” which is electrification by contact (a direct flow of
electrons from one object to another). (Dolbear, 1898)
The human body may be most chronically exposed to and electrified by 60-Hz electric fields when in bed (Coghill,
1996). (During a 6–10-hour period, a person’s body is within inches of energized electrical wires in the wall at the head
of the bed and energized electrical cords and appliances near the bed.)

REFERENCES

Coghill, RW, Steward J, Philips, A. Extra low frequency electric and magnetic fields in the bedplace of children diagnosed with
leukaemia: A case-control study. Eur J Cancer Prev 1996;5:153–158.
Dolbear, AE. On physical fields. Science 1889;14:442–444.
Gish, OH, The natural electric currents in the earth. Sci Monthly 1936;43:47–57.
776 GHALY AND TEPLITZ

Appendix B
State of the Science of Electromagnetic Fields and Adverse Health
Consequences to Public Health
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reported in 1999 that a comprehensive review of epidemio-
logic studies of ELF-EMF and cancer support a finding of Group 2B (possible carcinogen) using the World Health Or-
ganization International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) criteria for carcinogenicity. [See National Institute of En-
vironmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). NIEHS Report on Health Effects from Exposure to Power-Line Frequency Electric
and Magnetic fields. NIH Publication No. 99-4493, 1999, available from NIEHS P. O. Box 12233, Research Triangle
Park, NC 27709.]
The World Health Organization has concluded that ELF-EMF is a Group 2B carcinogen (possible carcinogen) and has
published a monograph indicating that exposure to electric and magnetic fields at extra-low power frequencies (50–60 Hz)
should be considered possibly carcinogenic (IARC, 2001).
A previous review of the international scientific literature on electric and magnetic fields published between 1979 and
1996, reporting epidemiologic bioeffects of ELF-EMF, showed that approximately 90% of all 46 residential studies and
88% of all 96 occupational studies reported positive risk ratios for cancer and pregnancy outcome (Sage, 1996).
The majority of these studies and reviews have concentrated on magnetic-field effects (as opposed to electric-field ef-
fects). However, it should be noted that the electric field is always present where there is electricity but the magnetic field
is present only when the light is turned on, electric current is being conducted and electrons actually flow. The magnetic
field is a part-time compliment of electricity and occurs only when electricity is actually being used at the load end (the
light, the oven, the air conditioner, etc). The electric field is present regardless of whether or not electricity is flowing (be-
ing used up at a load end). The consequence is that many studies that examine only end measurements of exposure to the
magnetic field will overlook the presence (and possible bioactivity) of the electric field in producing disease. The few
studies looking solely at electric-field exposure, or the presence of electricity report clear association to human disease.

REFERENCES

IARC. Static and Extremely Low Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields: Monographs of the International Agency for Research on
Cancer (IARC), vol. 80 (Lyon, France: IARC, June 19–26, 2001; updated March 2002.
Sage CL. Epidemiology for Decisionmakers: A Visual Guide to the Residential and Occupational EMF Studies (1979–1998). Bioelec-
tromagnetics Society Annual Meeting, 1996.